Colonial News.

Colonist, Issue 6, 10 November 1857, Page 2

Colonial News.

NEW SOUTH WALES. On Saturday last the Spray, from Sydney, arrived in the Port of Nelson, by which vessel we hav.e received our usual files of papers up to the 27thOctober., . : .'■. ■': •:• '■■ , \ :■'■•• .-■ '"..' '■■''■, ': '-■■ t. Parliament resumed its sittings on the 20th October, upon which occasion the attendance of both members and strangers was numerous, considerable anxiety being felt to hear the exposition of the policy of the new Ministry. Mr. Cowper, as Colonial Secretary; Mr. Martin, as Attorney-General \ and Mr. Jones, as Co- " lonial Treasurer, took the usual oaths and their seats. The Speaker announced that it had been certified to-him that George Robert Nichols, Esq^ late member for the Northumberland Boroughs, was deceased, and his scat was consequently vacant. Mr; Cowper and Mr. Donaldson^ in brief but eloquent speeches, bore testimony .to the eminent services of the late Mr. Nichols* and the high esti- ■ mation in which he was held .by. the country at large. " On the motion for the printing of sundry papers and. despatches relative to the appointment of a temporary Executive administration of the Government during the absence of ,the GovernorGeneral, and hi which the officers named in the despatch of the Secretary of State were, the Senior , Officer of the Forces, the President of the Legislative Council, and the Colonial Secretary, a debate arose. Mr. Parker contended that the unison of the Executive administrative functions with those • of a representative of the people was incompatible with the privileges of the House. He further argued'that the acceptance of the appointment

■which under the regulations of the Government at home entitled Mr. .Cowper to receive a portion of the salary of the Governor-General, disqualified him from being elected as a member of the House. Jtle suggested, .therefore, the advisability of adjourning the Council till the return of the Go-vernor-General to the colony. ' Mr. Hay spoke on the. same side, and Mr. Fau--1 cett, who moved an adjournment, which was opposed by Mr. Cowper, Mr. Martin, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Piddington, Mr. Weekes, and Mr. Rusden, and the motion was negatived without a division, ■ Mr. Cowper, in a very brief speech, made the usual Ministerial explanations. He said that it ■would be the object of himself and colleagues to avoid long speeches, and they would introduce only measures of essential importance. Amongst them he,would mention the Land Regulation Bill, the Country Towns Municipalities Bill, and a Bill for the Regulation of the Great Roads of the .Colony. It was the desire of the Ministry to close the session as early as possible, in order that they might meet early next year. Mr; Donaldson, in a few remarks, complained of the; meagre explanation which the Premier had offered of; the nature of the measures he intended to introduce, but complimented him on his promise of short speeches; remarking that, if tnere was as little in them as that he had just addressed to the House, they might be easily made veryshort indeed. Great vexation is expressed in Sydney at the unsatisfactory manner in which the mail service is being performed. On this subject the Empire jsayg—" We cannot pass over the arrival of the mail steam-ship European without expressing a Tiope that energetic measures will be taken to remedy the evil that now exists. The above vessel has returned to Sydney pretty well a disabled boat, and the successive accidents to the machinery on her voyage clearly demonstrate the inefficient state of tne ship, which we can hardly suppose originated so late as her arrival out in the colonies. It is a noticeable fact that all the European and Australian Royal Mail Company's own ships have arrived in bad order, whether as concerns their machinery or rigging; and we are glad to find an enquiry was being instituted in Parliament touching the efficiency, and proper surveys of the boats tendered for the service. The Home Government was insisting upon the penalties being paid ; we may therefore hope they will insist upon the service being performed as was intended, and not as has been actually the case. We are deprived of the power of answering our letters by the delay occasioned, and this, too, at a time when we have not only been subjected to the most vexatious irregularities, but at a time when all arrangements have been completed." Thn despatches of the Governor- General relative to the Separation of Moreton Bay had been published. The Herald of the 26th says " they will not give satisfaction in Brisbane ; but they will seem to all disinterested persons to be very fair and straightforward in their suggestions. Sir William Denison certainly has not laid himself open to the charge of grasping at too much on behalf of the elder colony. He has put forward no claims but such as are recognised at once as moderate and reasonable. It is true that he does not advise the annexation of the Clarence and New England districts to the Northern colony, but he gives reasons for his recommendation which are so obviously conclusive that Mr. Labouehere finds himself compelled, in deference to them, to forego his own openly expressed. opinions. The geographicalfeature3 ot the country determine the routes of its commerce. The absence of good harbors along the coast, and the existence of rugged ranges to the north of New England divert to Sydney much, traffic thatwould have found other outlets if such hindrances did not exist. A line drawn across the colony midway between Sydney and Brisbane would not separate the traffic that flows northward from that which flows southward. The causes that divide the streams of traffic are permanent in their nature, and do not depend on political determinations. They must always remain in force as much as they do now. If it had been to the interest of the residents in the Clarence and New England districts to ally themselves commercially with Brisbane in preference to Sydney, they would have done it long before now. But though urgently invited to do so they have turned a deaf ear to the pressing solicitation, and confess practically, as well a3 verbally, that it is more con venient for them to retain their connexion with the Southern Capital, even though it should be a few miles further off. Country settlers may be trusted to know their own interests. A meeting of the committee appointed to take steps for the presentation of an address to Colonel 8100 infield, and the regiment under his command (the XI.), was held in Sydney on the 20th Oct. On the Friday following the regiment marched from the Victoria Barracks to the Exchange Rooms, Bridge-street, where the address was presented, on behalf of the citizens and colonists generally. It was further arranged that a copy of the same, neatly printed on card, should be given to every man in the regiment, his name and rank to be written on the back of it. Besides the address, a piece W silver plate—bearing a suitable inscription—was added, being meant for the officers' messtable, and to be the property of the regiment. The gallant XI. sailed for England on the 24th. There had been another fearful shipwreck, attended by a loss of twenty-one lives, at the entrance of Port Jackson, or rather inside of the North Head. The declared value of the cargo of this unfortunate vessel (the Catherine Adamson) amounted to the enormous sum of £71,299. Full particulars will be found subjoined.